Submission to the United Nations regarding the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Members of the World Archaeological Congress (WAC) have great concern about the proposal of
the African Group to reopen negotiations on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We urge you to help African states understand that the Human Rights Council's text contains
nothing that threatens state sovereignty or opportunities for development. Rather than fuel conflict,
the Human Rights Council text creates a framework for fair cooperation and respectful resolution
of differences. The Declaration has taken decades of patient negotiation and compromise by
Indigenous peoples and governments, resulting in a text acceptable to all, adopted by the Human
Rights Council at its inaugural session last June.

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples levels the playing field so that small, often
marginal, and in many cases economically disadvantaged Indigenous communities can engage as
citizens with the state on their own terms without losing their identities or cultures. WAC's
particular concerns relate to the recognition of Indigenous rights to cultural heritage, but these
elements are closely linked to other concerns for Indigenous peoples.

The World Archaeological Congress, with members in more than 90 countries, is the only fully
international and representative organization of practicing archaeologists. WAC's mission is to (1)
promote professional training for disadvantaged nations and communities; (2) broaden public
education, involving national and international communities in archaeological research; (3)
develop archaeological practice so that it empowers Indigenous and minority; (4) contribute to the
conservation of archaeological sites threatened by looting, urban growth, tourism, development or
war; and (5) re-dress global inequities among archaeologists.